After buying a used car before winter, it is worth checking its technical condition and not relying solely on information from the previous owner. First of all, technical fluids, the battery, and glass cleaning equipment need attention.
Preparing a used car for winter: five mandatory replacements
These elements directly affect engine starting, brake operation, cooling, and visibility in the cold season.
1. Engine oil and filter
After purchase, it is worth replacing the engine oil together with the filter if there is no confirmed service history. Old lubricant thickens in frost, which makes cold starting the engine more difficult.
2. Battery
Before winter, you need to check the battery's residual capacity and starting current. If the readings are low, it is recommended to replace the battery, since during severe frost it may not be able to ensure engine starting.
3. Antifreeze
Old coolant gradually loses its properties. Insufficient frost resistance creates a risk of the fluid freezing and damaging the radiator or engine block.
"To keep the car from failing in the very first frosts, five critically important elements must be replaced immediately," notes the author of the material, Oleksii Astapov.
4. Brake fluid
Brake fluid is hygroscopic and accumulates moisture over time. Therefore, after buying a car with an unknown service history, its condition must be checked, and if necessary, the fluid must be replaced.
5. Wipers and winter washer fluid
Worn blades worsen visibility during precipitation and road dirt. Summer windshield washer fluid must be replaced with winter fluid before frosts.
Before the cold, it is also recommended to check winter tires. The source names 4 mm as the minimum sufficient tread depth, and 5-6 years as the maximum age. For gasoline engines, it is worth checking the spark plugs; for diesel engines, the glow plugs.
